2018 Ford F-350 Super Duty · symptom sheet

Steering wheel shakes or the "death wobble"

90owner reports
25,000median miles
0involved a crash

Newest report Jan 24, 2025 · checked Sep 19, 2026

101 of the 201 complaints on this car are about the steering system. 90 of those describe death wobble, which makes it the most reported problem on the 2018 F-350 Super Duty.

Tick what matches of 90 reports

it is called the death wobble online

a bump or pothole sets it off

it only happens at highway speed

slowing down stops the shaking

a steering damper was replaced

alignment and balance were fine

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the steering damper (10 reports).

Recalls and investigations

One recall on the steering system covers the 2018 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.

20E-090Dec 10, 2020

Steering

Icon Vehicle Dynamics, LLC (Icon) is recalling all 05-UP FSD 2.5 Centerline Stabilizer Kits with part number 65050. The kits were sold as an accessory for certain 2005-2021 Ford F-250 4X4 and F-350 4X4 pickup trucks. The foam ring inside the stabilizer "through shaft" may block the piston ports, possibly causing the steering to lock up.

Risk and remedy

Risk: If the steering locks, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Icon will notify owners, and dealers will install a new shock assembly with a revised foam ring and steel support disc, free of charge. The recall began December 21, 2020. Owners may contact Icon customer service at 1-951-689-4266.

NHTSA investigations into the steering system on the F-350 Super Duty

PE13-014opened May 7, 2013

Steering · model years 2008

Alleged loss of steering. Closed jan 31, 2014.

NHTSA summary

The Office of DefectsInvestigation (ODI) opened PE13-014 after identifying five complaints alleging steering gear failure in model year (MY) 2008 Ford F-250 and F-350 Super Duty pick-up trucks and to evaluate the relationship between the design history of the steering gear assembly and the alleged defect.As background, ODI investigated steering gear sector shaft fractures in approximately 1.3 million MY 1999 - 2001 Ford Super Duty pick-up trucks and MY 2000 - 2001 Ford Excursion sport utility vehicles in Engineering Analysis EA01-009.The investigation determined that the sector shaft failures were the result of extraordinary, possibly multiple, impacts and not the result of fatigue.No defect in design, manufacturing or materials was identified in the sector shaft.EA01-009 was closed August 19, 2003 with 169 complaints, resulting in a rate of 12.9 incidents per 100,000 vehicles after approximately one year of service.Ford increased the diameter of the sector shaft from 1.375 inches to 1.625 inches at the start of MY 2005 production, increasing the resistance of the steering gear assembly to torsional overload by approximately 48% and changing the failure mode from sector shaft fracture to cracked or broken sector shaft gear teeth.The redesigned steering gear assembly was used in approximately 1.1 million MY 2005 through 2009 Ford Super Duty pick-up trucks, including the subject vehicles.Figure 1 shows the basic steering system design used in Ford Super Duty trucks investigated

EA01-009opened Mar 2, 2001

Steering · model years 1999 to 2001

Sector shaft fractures. Closed aug 19, 2003.

NHTSA summary

THIS EA WAS OPENED BASED ON A RESPONSE RECEIVED FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO AN INFORMATION REQUEST (IR) SUBMITTED DURING SQ00-018.FORD STATED IN AN INTERNAL SERVICE MESSAGE THAT IT HAD CHANGED THE STEERING GEAR SECTOR SHAFTS AND PITMAN ARMS INSTALLED 1999 MODEL YEAR F-SERIES SUPER DUTY VEHICLES ON MARCH 22, 1999.FORD STATED THAT THESE DESIGN CHANGES WERE IMPLEMENTED TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE STEERING AND HANDLING, AND THAT VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE REPORTED FRACTURED SECTOR SHAFTS WERE THE RESULT OF EXTRAORDINARY, POSSIBLY MULTIPLE, IMPACTS.AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS CLOSING REPORT IS ATTACHED.

None of these investigations covers the 2018 model year.

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 16,000 and 39,470 miles, from the 68 reports that gave a mileage.

118

3419

2520

1021

822

723

424

125

What owners wrote

“Violent front end shimmy (death wobble) at highway speeds. Seems to be worsening. Happened in Interstate traffic near Atlanta Georgia. Extreme concern as I was among multiple vehicles with many behind me as well, all moving at highway speeds. I could not stop the problem until I had slowed to about 20 miles per hour.”
Filed Apr 18, 2024

“Experienced death wobble/uncontrollable vibration in front end and loss of steering. Truck is at the Ford service center but cannot get parts from Ford to fix per Ford Technical Service Bulletin #18-2268. What work the shop did actually made the situation worse.”
Filed Feb 7, 2023

“(Death Wobble) Driving down the road and you hit a bump then the front end starts to shake viciously and out of control until slow down or stop to get the truck back under control. Iâm afraid to have anyone in my truck besides me”
Filed May 8, 2022

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 0 of 90 reports involved a crash and 1 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.

File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation.